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od just old enough to be properly cured but not rotten。 Before the wood touched the coals； he stopped。 There were horses ing； ten or a dozen of them； walking slowly。 I have to be careful。 I cannot make another mistake。
The horses swung toward his failing fire； entered the dim light； and stopped。 The shadows obscured their riders； but most seemed to be rough…faced men wearing round helmets and long leather jerkins sewn all over with metal discs like fish scales。 One was a woman with graying hair and a no…nonsense look on her face。 Her dark dress was plain wool； but the finest weave； and adorned with a silver pin in the shape of a lion。 A merchant； she seemed to him； he had seen her sort among those who came to buy tabac and wool in the Two Rivers。 A merchant and her guards。
I have to be careful； he thought as he stood。 No mistakes。
〃You have chosen a good campsite； young man；〃 she said。 〃I have often used it on my way to Remen。 There is a small spring nearby。 I trust you have no objection to my sharing it？〃 Her guards were already dismounting； hitching at their sword belts and loosening saddle girths。
〃None；〃 Rand told her。 Careful。 Two steps brought him close enough； and he leaped into the air； spinning … Thistledown Floats on the Whirlwind … heron…mark blade carved from fire ing into his hands to take her head off before surprise could even form on her face。 She was the most dangerous。
He alighted as the woman's head rolled from the crupper of her horse。 The guards yelled and clawed for their swords； screamed as they realized his blade burned。 He danced among them in the forms Lan had taught him； and knew he could have killed all ten with ordinary steel； but the blade he wielded was part of him。 The last man fell； and it had been so like practicing the forms that he had already begun the sheathing called Folding the Fan before he remembered he wore no scabbard and this blade would have turned it to ash at a touch if he had。
Letting the sword vanish； he turned to examine the horses。 Most had run away； but some not far； and the woman's tall gelding stood with rolling eyes； whickering uneasily。 Her headless corpse； lying on the ground； had maintained its grip on the reins； and held the animal's head down。
Rand pulled them free； pausing only to gather his few belongings before swinging into the saddle。 I have to be careful； he thought as he looked over the dead。 No mistakes。
The Power still filled him； the flow from saidin sweeter than honey； ranker than rotted meat。 Abruptly he channeled … not really understanding what it was he did； or how； only that it seemed right； and it worked； lifting the corpses。 He set them in a line； facing him； kneeling； faces in the dirt。 For those who had faces left。 Kneeling to him。
〃If I am the Dragon Reborn；〃 he told them； 〃that is the way it is supposed to be； isn't it？〃 Letting go of saidin was hard； but he did it。 If I hold it too much； how will I keep the madness away？ He laughed bitterly。 Or is it too late for that？
Frowning； he peered at the line。 He had been sure there were only ten men； but eleven men knelt in that line； one of them without armor of any sort but with a dagger still gripped in his hand。
〃You chose the wrong pany；〃 Rand told that man。
Wheeling the gelding； he dug in his heels and set the animal to a dead gallop into the night。 It was a long way to Tear； yet； but he meant to get there by the straightest way； if he had to kill horses or steal them。 I will put an end to it。 The taunting。 The baiting。 I will end it！ Callandor。 It called to him。
Chapter 37
（Rising Sun）
Fires in Cairhien
Egwene returned a graceful nod to the respectful bow of the ship's crewman who padded past her； barefoot； on his way to pull a rope that already seemed taut； possibly shifting a trifle the way one of the big square sails set。 As he trotted back toward where the round…faced captain stood by the tillerman； he bowed again； and she nodded once more before returning her attentions to the forested Cairhien shore； separated from the Blue Crane by less than twenty spans of water。
A village was sliding past； or what had been a village once。 Half the houses were only smoldering piles of rubble with chimneys sticking starkly out of the ruins。 On the other houses； doors swung with the wind； and pieces of furniture； bits of clothing and houseware littered the dirt street； tumbled about as if thrown。 Nothing living moved in the village except for one half…starved dog that ignored the passing ship as it trotted out of sight behind the toppled walls of what appeared to have been an inn。 She could never see such a sight without a queasiness settling in her belly； but she tried to maintain the dispassionate serenity she thought an Aes Sedai might have。 It did not help much。 Beyond the village； a thick plume of smoke was rising into the sky。 Three or four miles off； she estimated。
This was not the first such plume of smoke she had seen since the Erinin began to flow along the border of Cairhien； nor the first such village。 At least this time there were no bodies in sight。 Captain Ellisor sometimes had to sail close to the Cairhienin shore because of mudflats … he said they shifted in this part of the river … but however close he came； she had not seen a single living person。
The village and the smoke plume slipped away behind the ship； but already another column of smoke was ing into view ahead； further from the river。 The forest was thinning； ash and leatherleaf and black elder giving way to willow and whitewood and wateroak； and some she did not recognize。
The wind caught her cloak； but she let it stream； feeling the cold cleanness of the air； feeling the freedom of wearing brown instead of any sort of white； though it had not been her first choice。 Yet dress and cloak were of the best wool； well cut and well sewn。
Another sailor trotted by； bowing as he went。 She vowed to learn at least some of what it was they were doing； she did not like feeling ignorant。 Wearing her Great Serpent ring on her right hand made for a good deal of bowing with a captain and crew born mainly in Tar Valon。
She had won that argument with Nynaeve； though Nynaeve had been sure she herself was the only one of the three of them old enough for people to believe she was Aes Sedai。 But Nynaeve had been wrong。 Egwene was ready to admit that both she and Elayne had received startled looks on boarding the Blue Crane that afternoon at Southharbor； and Captain Ellisor's eyebows had climbed almost to where his hair would have begun had he had any； but he had been all smiles and bows。
〃An honor； Aes Sedai。 Three Aes Sedai to travel on my vessel？ An honor indeed。 I promise you a quick journey as far as you wish。 And no trouble with Cairhienin brigands。 I no longer put in on that side of the river。 Unless you wish it； of course； Aes Sedai。 Andoran soldiers do hold a few towns on the Cairhienin side。 An honor； Aes Sedai。〃
His eyebrows had shot up again when they asked for just one cabin among them … not even Nynaeve wanted to be alone at night if she did not have to be。 Each could hav